Writing instrument



May i5, 1959 R. E. BOYDEN ET AL WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed sept. 1e, '1952gdm) nj RchardS/Vlazk, Irving J. Spiro,

INVENTQRJ,

Richard Efa HT'TORNEY.

hired ttes Pater WRITING INSTRUMENT Robert E. Boyden and Richard E.Eakin, San Gabriel,

Richard S. Mark, Arcadia, and Irving J. Spiro, Sherman Oaks, Calif.,assignors, by mesne assignments, of one-half to Flo-Ball PenCorporation, San Gabriel, Calif., a corporation of California, andone-half to Flo- Ball Pen Corporation, New York, NY., a corporation ofNew York Application September 16, 1952, Serial No. 309,908 3 Claims.(Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

This invention relates to writing instruments of the type wherein thewriting tip is selectively projectable and retractable relative to thebarrel so that the instrument, when not in use, may be carried in onespocket without having to place a protecting cap over the writing tip.

The invention is particularly related to ball pens having a ball writingtip and a conduit connecting an ink reservoir to the ball. Normally,because of the viscosity of the ink and the close fit of the ball in itssocket, the ink will not leak out and it is desirable to carry the pinwith the ball point extending downward so asto reduce the possibility ofan air lock occuring in the ink column which might otherwise occur ifthe pen were carried with the ball point extending upward. Thissituation therefore lends itself to a retractable writing unitconstruction wherein the pen is norm-ally carried with the ball pointdownward, and pens of this nature have been disclosed and madeheretofore.

Although such retractable pens are satisfactory, users from time to timeforget to retract the writing unit when placing the pen in their pocket,with the result that the ball will, through continual engagement withthe sides of the pocket, eventually transfer enough ink to soil onesclothing.

It therefore becomes a principal object of the present invention toautomatically retract the writing tip of a writing instrument whenpocketing the instrument.

Another object is to facilitate a one-hand operation of a tipprojecting-retracting control of a writing instrument While holding thelatter by the same hand.

Another object is to provide a retractable pen wherein the ink reservoirmay be of a maximum length.

Another object is to enable one to press downwardly on the cap or pushbutton plunger of a retractable pen while pocketing the same and withoutthereby projecting the writing tip.

A further object is to provide a projecting-retracting mechanism for aball nib writing instrument which is simple and economical tomanufacture and assemble, having a minimum number of parts.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention areaccomplished will be readily understood upon reference to the followingspecification when read in lconjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a retractable ball penembodying the present invention, illustrating the same with the writingunit in projected or writing position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View, similar to that of Fig. 1, but illustratingthe same in a pocketed condition.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the pen illustrating the same in retractedposition.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the upper end of the pen illustrating theaction of the pocket clip and latch when the former is pressed inwardly.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the pen and is takensubstantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

2,884,900 iatented May 5, 1959 Fig. 6 is a side view of the spring latchand is taken in the direction of the arrow 6 in Fig. 1.

In the following specification and claims the term fore part and rearand equivalent terminology are intended to refer to the writing end andthe opposite end, respectively, of the pen.

The pen comprises a barrel 10 of plastic material which tapers slightlyin a forward direction and terminates in a conical barrel tip 11,preferably of metal. The tip 11 is provided with a knurled shank 12which is press lit into the bore of the barrel 10.

The rear of the barrel is threaded onto a combined connector and bearingsleeve 13 which is provided with a knurled portion 14, the latter beingpress tit into a thin rear cap member 15 of metal. The wall of thelatter is preferably on the order of .015 inch in thickness. A portionof the cap member 15 extends forwardly of the knurled portion 14 of theconnector sleeve, and the rear part of barrel 10, when secured on theconnector sleeve, fits under this latter portion.

A pocket clip 16 of resilient sheet metal material is mounted at therear end thereof on the cap member 15. The clip is substantiallyU-shaped in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 5, and is preferablyattached to the cap by prongs, one of which is partially shown at 17,the latter extending through holes in the cap member and bent over tosecure the upper end of the clip. The clip 16 extends forwardly andterminates in a bulbous tip 18 which is yieldably held against the sideof the cap member by virtue of the resilient nature of the clipmaterial.

A writing unit, `generally indicated at 20, is mounted to movelengthwise in the bore of the barrel. The writing unit comprises a ballwriting tip 21 rotatably mounted in a pocket formed in the forward endof an ink feeding section 22 which is integral at the rear thereof withan ink reservoir 23 in the form of an elongated tube of constantdiameter.

The writing unit 20 is urged rearwardly toward its retracted positionshown in Fig. 3 by a helical compression spring 24 which surrounds theforward portion of the tube 23 and is seated between the lower bore ofthe barrel and an enlargement 25 forme-d on the tube 23 midway betweenits ends. The lower end of the bore, due to its taper, frictionallygrips the lower end of the spring 24 and thus retains the same in placeeven when the writing unit is removed, as will be described later.

The tube 23 is slidably mounted in the sleeve 13 and abuts at its rearagainst a projecting-retracting device generally indicated at 26. Thelatter comprises a push button 27 slidable axially through an opening inthe end of the cap member 15. A shank 2S of reduced diameter extendsfrom the push button 27 through an opening in a U-shaped spring 30 andthrough a conical sleeve 31, the shank being peened over the sleeve toretain the parts 27, 30 and 31 together as an integral unit.

One of the legs 32 of the spring engages the inner surface of the cap 15andjmoves along it when the writing unit is moved between its writingand retracted positions.

The other leg 33 has a portion thereof bent over at right angles as seenin Fig. 5 to constitute a latching formation 34. A camming projection 35is formed to extend through and move along an elongated slot 36 in thewall of the cap member 15. The slot 36 is located in alignment with thepocket clip 16 and the camming'projection 35 is so formed that when thewriting unit is in its projected writing position shown in Fig. 1 theprojection 35 will engage or lie closely adjacent the inner surface ofthe pocket clip at a point substantially midway between its ends.

In the latter position, a latching shoulder 37 of the latchin'gformation engages a second slot 45 to thereby retain the writing unit inwriting position against the action of spring 24. The slot 45 is locatedin line with slot 36 and under the clip 16, thus lying out of normalsight.

` The writing unit may be retracted from its writing position eithermanually or automatically as follows: with the pen in its writingposition illustrated in Fig. l, inward pressure against the mid portionof the pocket clip 16 as illustrated in Fig. 4 will cause the clip toliex inwardly to engage the outer surface of the camming projection andthus flex the spring leg 33 inwardly. This forces the latching shoulder37 to disengage the slot 45, permitting the spring 24 to retract thewriting unit and the push button device into their retracted positionsshown in Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be noted, on reference to Fig. 6 that the spring leg 33 has areduced cross-sectional area at 38, causing the foregoing exing to occurlargely in the region of this cut-out portion 3S so that the push button27 will be retained in axial alignment by the leg 32 during such exingof the leg 33.

In the event the user forgets to release the writing unit in theaforementioned manner when pocketing the pen and as the latter isclipped over the edge of a pocket, partly illustrated at 40 in Fig. 2,the leading edge 41 of the pocket will engage the camming projection 35.The edge 41 will then pass between the clip and the projection 35,forcing the latter to ex the leg 33 inwardly and thereby release thelatching shoulder 37 so that the spring 24 can move the writing unit toits retracted position.

One of the principal features of the pen is the fact that one may pressdownwardly on the push button to facilitate pocketing the pen withoutcausing the writing unit to be latched in writing condition. This is sobecause the latching shoulder 37 will continue to be held out ofengagement with the latching slot 45 as long as the pen is clipped overthe pocket edge as will be noted in Fig. 2.

In order to replace the writing unit 20 when the latter becomesexhausted of ink, the barrel 10 is unscrewed from the connector sleeve13 and the writing unit is withdrawn from the barrel. In this conditionthe projecting-retracting device 26 is retained in position in the cap15 by the frictional engagement of the spring legs or by the latchingshoulder 37, should the latter be in engagement with the slot 45.

Although we have described our invention in detail in its preferredform, and have therefore used certain specie terms and language herein,it is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrativerather than restrictive and that changes and modications may be madethereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimsappended hereto. For example, the cap member 15 may be formed integrallywith the remainder of the barrel and of the same plastic material.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to secure by UnitedStates Letters Patent is:

l. In a writing instrument, a hollow body having an end opening and aside wall opening, a writing point assembly reciprocably mounted withinthe body for projection of its point forwardly of the end opening orwithdrawal rearwardly therethrough, spring means tensioning the pointtoward the withdrawn position, actuating means manually operable toproject the point toward the forward position, a pocket clip secured tothe body and extending forwardly over `the side wall opening andtensioned toward the side wall, catch means within the body having a lowlevel part and a high level part, said catch means coupled with thewriting point assembly and spring tensioned to project the high levelpart through and beyond the side wall opening and to project the lowlevel part into engagement with a cooperating part of the body when thewriting point is moved forwardly, said body provided with saidcooperating part, said low level part when engaged with the cooperatingpart of the body adapted to releasably retain the writing point movedforwardly counter the tension of its spring, said high level part beingdisposed when projected through the side wall opening in such proximityto a part of the pocket clip that interposition of a pocket parttherebetween depresses the catch suiiiciently to release the low levelpart from engagement with the cooperating part of the body therebyreleasing the writing point for withdrawal by its spring, the springacting on such catch means being resistingly yieldable inwardly of thebody upon interposition of said pocket part between said high-level partand the pocket clip, that portion of the high-level part of the springcatch projecting outwardly through the slot beyond the wall of the bodybeing in the form of a cam sloping from the low point adjacent to thewall of the body on the side closest to the writing point end of thebody to a high point more remote from the body on the side furthest fromthe writing end of the body.

2. In a writing instrument, a hollow body having a writing point openingat one end and having a side wall slot opening, a writing point assemblyreciprocably supported within the body for projection of its pointforwardly through said end opening or withdrawal of its point rearwardlywithin the body, spring means tensioning the point toward the withdrawnposition, an actuating device coupled with the writing point assemblyand projeeting reciprocably through that end of the body opposite to thewriting point end and manually operable to project the writing pointagainst the tension of its spring through the writing point end openingof the body, spring catch means coupled with the actuating device toreciprocate therewith and having a high-level part and a low-level part,said spring catch means high-level part held to project through the sidewall slot of the body and outwardly beyond the body wall and adapted toreciprocate within the slot upon reciprocation of the actuating device,said spring catch means low-level part held toward the side wall of thebody and adapted to reciprocate within the body upon reciprocation ofthe actuating device, said body having an engaging part adapted toengage said low-level part when the same is moved forwardly within thebody by the actuating device to project the writing point through thewriting point end opening of the body, projection of the highlevel partthrough the slot and outwardly beyond the side Wall of the bodypermitting said low-level part to engage said engaging part, saidlow-level part being held inwardly of the body and disengaged from saidengaging part when the high-level part of the spring catch means isdisposed within the slot and does not project outwardly beyond the sidewall of the body, said body having a spring pocket clip secured theretooverhanging the side wall slot, that portion of the high level part ofthe spring catch projecting outwardly through the slot beyond the wallof the body being in the form of a cam sloping from a low point adjacentto the wall of the body on the side closest to the writing point end ofthe body to a high point more remote from the body on the side furthestfrom the writing end of the body, said spring catch having a weakerspring than the pocket clip and being resistingly yieldable inwardly ofthe body upon interposition of a pocket part between said high-levelpart and the pocket clip withdrawing the low-level part of the springcatch from its engagement with the engaging part of the body therebypermitting retraction of the writing point assembly into the body by itsspring.

3. In a writing instrument, a hollow body having an end opening and aside wall opening, a writing point assembly reciprocably mounted withinthe body for projection of its point forwardly of the end opening orwithdrawal rearwardly therethrough, spring means tensioning the pointtoward the withdrawn position, actuating means manually operable toprojectv the point toward the for- Ward position, a pocket clip securedto the body and extending forwardly over the side wall opening andtensioned toward the side wall, catch means within the body having a lowlevel part and a high level part, said catch means coupled with thewriting point assembly and spring tensioned to project the high levelpart through and beyond the side wall opening and to project the lowlevel part into engagement with a cooperating part of the body when thewriting point is moved forwardly, said body provided with saidcooperating part, said low level part Iwhen engaged with the cooperatingpart of the body adapted to releasably retain the writing point movedrforwardly counter the tension of its spring, said high level part beingdisposed when projected through the side wall opening in such proximityto a part of the pocket clip that interposition of a pocket parttherebetween depresses the catch sufficiently to release the low levelpart from engagement with the cooperating part of the body therebyreleasing the writing point for withdrawal by its spring, the springacting on such catch means being resistingly yieldable inwardly of thebody upon interposition of said pocket part between said highlevel partand the pocket clip, that portion of the highlevel part of the springcatch projecting outwardly through the slot beyond the wall of the bodyand said clip being provided with cooperating cam means, said cam meansbeing located adjacent a portion intermediate the length of the clip andspaced substantially from its ends and sloping from portions spacedapart to portions closely adjacent in a direction away from the writingpoint end of the body.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,344,897 Johnson June 29, 1920 1,850,086 Segal Mar. 22, 1932 2,400,679Biro May 21, 1946 2,500,979 Coler-Dark Mar. 21, 1950 2,517,522 ZuberAug. 1, 1950 2,536,923 Fehling Jan. 2, 1951 2,541,669 Rosa Feb. 13, 19512,603,187 Goos July 15, 1952 2,624,315 Weisser et al. Jan. 6, 1953FOREIGN PATENTS 26,407 Germany Feb. 29, 1884 51,255 France Nov. 17, 1941Add to No. 855,338 434,348 Italy Apr. 26, 1948 128,697 Australia Aug.10, 1948 445,793 Italy Feb. 24, 1949 962,297 France Dec. 5, 1949 269,529Switzerland Oct. 16, 1950 UNITEDA STATES "PATElNT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION PatemNo. 2,884,900 May 5, i959 lRobert E. Boyden et al l l tis hereby Certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and tnat the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.,

ln tne grant, lines 3 to 6, for "assignors, by mesne assignments, ofneu-nali to Flo-Ball Pen Corporation, of San Gabriel, California, acorporaion'of California, and one-half to Flo-Ball Pen Corporation, ofNew York,

Y. a Corporation of New York, read assignors, by mesne assignments, toFlo-Ball Pen Corporation, of New York, N.. Y. a corporation of New York,linesl to l'7, for Flo-Ball Pen Corporation, a corporation ofCalifornia, and Flo-Ball Pen Corporation, a Corporation of New York,their successors read Flo-Ball Pen Corporation, its successors in theheading to the printed specification, lines 5 to 9, for assignors, bymesne assignments, of one-half to Flo-Ball Pen Corporation, San Gabriel,Calif. a corporation of California, and one-half to Flo-Ball PenCorporation, New York,

N, Y., a Corporation of New York read assignors, by mesne assignments,to TEloall Pen Corporation, New York, N. Y. a corporation of New Yorkcolumn l, ine 25, for pin" read pen signed and Sealed this 5th day ofAprii i960,

(SEAL) ttest:

KARL li, AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON ttesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

